Steering system lock for diesel powered motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

A steering system lock device for a Diesel powered motor vehicle includes, in combination, a key cylinder assembly for locking the steering shaft of the vehicle and an engine shut-down device for starting and stopping the vehicle engine. By inserting a key, the key cylinder assembly can be displaced between several positions including a locked position for the steering shaft. A push-pull connector cable extends between the key cylinder assembly and the engine shut-down device to operatively connect to each other. The key cylinder assembly can be displaced in a position for locking the steering shaft by a key only during the engine stop by operation of the engine shut-down device. On the other hand, the key cylinder assembly is prevented from displacing into the locking position during operation of the engine.

' 11 Mar. 19, 1974 STEERING SYSTEM LOCK FOR DIESEL POWERED MOTORVEHICLES [75] Inventors: Yoshio Iba; Yutaka Tomizu, both of Aichi-ken,Japan [73] Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota-cho,Japan 22 Filed: May 1, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 249,083

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSSwitzerland 70/252 Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. I Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Toren, McGeady and Stanger 71 ABSTRACT A steering systemlock device for a Diesel powered motor vehicle includes, in combination,a key cylinder assembly for locking the steering shaft of the vehicleand an engine shut-down device for starting and stopping the vehicleengine. By inserting a key, the key cylinder assembly can be displacedbetween several positions including a locked position for the steeringshaft. A push-pull connector cable extends between the key cylinderassembly and the engine shut-down device to operatively connect to eachother. The key cylinder assembly can be displaced in a position forlocking the steering shaft by a key only during the engine stop byoperation of the engine shut-down device. On the other hand, the keycylinder assembly is prevented from displacing into the locking positionduring operation of the engine.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDmIQ m4 3791.287

I sum 2' {IF 2 STEERING SYSTEMLOCK FOR DIESEL POWERED MOTOR VEHICLESBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to asteering system lock for a Diesel powered motor vehicle and, moreparticularly, it concerns the combination of a steering shaft lock witha shut-down device for the Diesel engine. To stop the operation of theengine in a Diesel powered motor vehicle, an engine stopping device isrequired, such as a fuel cut-off device or a decompressing device. If aDiesel powered motor vehicle is equipped with a steering lock devicesuch as used in a gasoline powered vehicle in which the steering islocked merely by turning off the electric system, there is the dangerouspossibility that the Diesel powered motor vehicle might start-up withthe steering shaft locked. For instance, if a Diesel powered motorvehicle should begin to roll down an incline where it has been parked,the Diesel engine may be caused to rotate even though the steeringsystem is locked and a runaway vehicle might result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of the presentinvention to provide an anti-theft lock for the steering system in aDiesel powered motor vehicle which prevents any unintentional locking ofthe steering while the Diesel engine is operating and also prevents anypossibility of the Diesel engine starting up when the steering shaft ofthe ve hicle is locked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking system which issimple in construction and operates with great reliability.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, a key cylinderassembly for starting up a Diesel engine and locking the steering shaftof the vehicle is used in combination with a Diesel engine shut-downdevice so that the steering shaft cannot be locked while the Dieselengine is operating and the engine cannot be started up while thesteering shaft is locked.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the combination of a steeringsystem lock device and a Diesel engine shut-down device embodying thepresent invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown schematically in FIG. 1,the steering system for a motor vehicle includes a steering column 2enclosing a steering shaft 1 to which a steering wheel, not shown, isattached for rotating the steering shaft. An upper bracket 3 is mountedon the steering column 2. Spaced from the steering column is a Dieselengine shut-down device 4 which has a knob 6 mounted on one end of thedevice and located on an instrument panel 5. The knob 6 is displaceablerelative to the instrument panel 5 and is connected by means of aflexible cable 7 to an fuel injection pump, not shown, for controllingthe flow of fuel to the: Diesel engine.

In the present invention the steering system lock includes thecombination of the lock device for the steering shaft and the Dieselengine shut-down device. Mounted on the upper bracket 3 and extendingtransversely of the steering column 2 is a key cylinder assembly 10. Apush-pull cable 11 extends from the engine stop device 4 to the keycylinder assembly 10. At one end, an inner cable 12 of the push-pullcable 11 is connected by a link mechanism 13 to the flexible cable 7 sothat the movement of the flexible cable 7 obtained through thedisplacement of the knob 6 is transmitted to the push-pull cable 11 bymeans of the link mechanism 13. At the opposite end of the cable 11 itsinner cable 12 is selectively displaceable between engagement within orin contact with the surface of the key cylinder assembly. I

As shown in FIGSJ2 and 3, the key cylinder assembly 10 includes acylinder 14 formed integrally with the upper bracket 3 and extendingtransversely of the steering column 2. As indicated in FIG. 2, a key'l5extends into the cylinder 14 and fits within a shaft 16 which isrotatably movable within the cylinder in response to the movement of thekey. By turning the key, the shaft 16 can be rotated within the cylinder14 into any of the START,ON,ACC AND LOCK positions. Further, the keycylinder assembly 10 is provided with a steering shaft locking mechanismsimilar to the type used in motor vehicles having gasoline engines. Insuch vehicles, when the key is turned into the LOCK position, a camsurface 17 on the shaft 16 is positioned so that a spring biased lockingbar or bolt 18 is directed into a recess 19 in the steering shaft 1within the steel-- ing column for locking the steering system.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view through the steering Within thecylinder 14, a change-over or switch controlling member 20 is positionedon the shaft 16 and a hole formed in the cylinder 14 permits the innercable of the push-pull cable to be inserted into the interior of thecylinder. In the circumferential periphery of the switch controllingmember 20, adjacent the hole 21, is an elongated slot 22 having itselongated direction disposed transversely of the axis of the cylinder14. As can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 7, the end of the inner cable 12 isselectively insertable into the slot 22 in dependence on the position ofthe switch controlling member 20 on the shaft 16. As can be seen inFIGS. 4 and 5, when the end of the inner cable 12 is located within theslot 22 the switch controlling member 20 can only be moved between theACC and the START positions which includes between them ON position. Itis not possible for the key to be turned into the LOCK position when theinner cable 12 is located within the slot 22. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,if the inner cable 12 is displaced outwardly from the slot then the keycan be turned into the LOCK position.

In the stop device 4 for the Diesel engine, when the knob 6 is pulledoutwardly from the instrument panel 5, the flexible cable 7 in operativeengagement with the knob is displaced into a position for cutting offthe supply of fuel to the engine and thus shutting down its operation.At the same time, due to the link mechanism 13, the inner cable 12 ofthe push-pull cable 11 is moved so that the end of the inner cable 12 isdisplaced outwardly from the slot 22, as shown in FIG. 6. With the endof the inner cable removed from the slot, the shaft 16 and the switchcontrolling member 20 can be rotated by the key into the LOCK positionso that the steering shaft 1 is locked within the steering column 2 whenthe cam surface 17 is arranged for permitting the lock bolt 18 to dropinto the recess 19 in the steering shaft. Accordingly, when the Dieselengine is operating and the end of the inner cable 12 is located in theslot 22 it is not possible to turn the key so that the steering shaft islocked. Therefore, the locking of the steering system cannot be effectedunless the knob 6 is pulled outwardly. Before the engine can be started,the key 15 must turn the shaft 16 and the switch controlling member 20at least to the ACC position, note FIG. 5, so that the end of the innercable 12 can move into the slot 22 and permit the knob to be pushedinwardly for supplying fuel to the engine. In the position shown in FIG.7, the end of the inner cable 12 abuts the circumferential peripheralsurface of the switch controlling member 20 and it is not possible forthe inner cable 12 to move and, as a result, it prevents the start-stopdevice 4 from putting the Diesel engine in an operable condition.Accordingly, when the key cylinder assembly is in the LOCK position theknob remains in its pulled-out position and the Diesel engine cannot beoperated. Therefore, by means of the above-described steering systemlock device, in a Diesel powered motor vehicle the locking device on thesteering system can be provided by the combination of a steering systemlock mechanism and a Diesel engine stop device. The steering lock devicehas a number of advantages. First, the entire structure of the device issimple since the stop device for the engine and the steering lockmechanism are merely connected by a single push-pull cable 11 and, as aresult, the means used in operating the stop device can be located at aconventional position on the instrument panel or dashboard and there isno need for remodeling the structure of the vehicle to any significantextent. Further, since the key in the key cylinder assembly cannot beturned to the LOCK position while the engine is in operation, there isno danger that the steering mechanism will become locked while thevehicle is running. In addition, when the steering mechanism is in theLOCK position the engine cannot be operated, because the end of theinner cable 12 abuts against the circumferential peripheral surface ofthe switch controlling member 20 and prevents the stop device from beingactuated. With the inner cable 12 held against displacement, theflexible cable 7 cannot be moved and there is no danger of a spontaneousignition of the engine if the vehicle starts to roll down a slope.

The method of locking the steering both by pulling the knob 6 of thestop device 4 for the engine and by turning the key 15, as used in thepresent device, is generally called a two-operation system. This systemis one in which one part of the two-operation steering lock system forgasoline powered vehicles is substituted for by an engine stoppingoperation. This system provides a structure with extremely high safety.Accordingly, if the device of the present invention is applied to atwooperation steering lock system and used in a Diesel powered motorvehicle, it is possible to obtain a steering lock device with triplesafety means. Although a push-pull knob has been used as the means forstopping the engine, it will be appreciated that the above arrangementcan also be used where a decompressing lever is employed rather than theknob.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventiveprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

-1. A steering system lock for a diesel engine powered vehicle includinga steering shaft comprising, in combination, locking means operablydisplaceable between a plurality of positions, means operable inresponse to movement of said locking means for locking said steeringshaft when said locking means is in one of said plurality of positions,a switch controlling member movably displaceable with said lockingmeans, engine shutdown means movably displaceable to a position forshutting down said engine, cable means connected with said shut-downmeans to be movable therewith and extending in operative relationshipwith said switch controlling member, and slotted means defined in saidswitch controlling member for selectively engaging said cable means,said slotted means being configured to engage said cable means toprevent movement of said locking means to said one plurality ofpositions locking said steering shaft when said engine is operating,said switch controlling member being configured to engage said cablemeans to prevent movement of said shutdown means out of said positionfor shutting down said engine when said locking means is in said oneplurality of positions locking said steering shaft.

2. A steering system lock according to claim 1 wherein said lockingmeans is rotatably movable to said plurality of positions, saidswitch-controlling member beingcylindrically shaped and rotatablymovable with said locking means, said slotted means being definedtherein as an elongated slot formed on the circumferential periphery ofsaid switch controlling member, said cable means having a pair of ends,with one end connected for movement with said engine shut-down means andwith the other end extending for operative engagement with said switchcontrolling member, said switch controlling member being configured toprevent said other end to extend into said slot when said locking meansis not in said position locking said steering shaft, and to preventmovement of said other end into said slot when said locking means is in.said position locking said steering shaft.

3. A steering system lock according to claim 2 wherein said engineshut-down means includes a member manually displaceable between aposition cutting off fuel flow to said diesel engine and a positionpermitting fuel flow thereto, said lock including a link mechanismconnecting said one end of said cable means with said manuallydisplaceable member for corresponding movement therewith.

4. A steering system lock according to claim 1 wherein said lockingmeans includes a shaft having a cam surface thereon and a spring biasinglock bar associated with said shaft and arranged to drop into locksembly operably displaceable by means of a key, a cyl-- inder, a shaftrotatably mounted within said cylinder for rotational displacement bysaid key, said switch controlling member being positioned within saidcylinder and in engagement with said shaft for rotational displacementtherewith.

6. A steering system lock according to claim 5 wherein the elongateddirection of said slot in said switch controlling member extendsnormally to the axis of said shaft.

1. A steering system lock for a diesel engine powered vehicle includinga steering shaft comprising, in combination, locking means operablydisplaceable between a plurality of positions, means operable inresponse to movement of said locking means for locking said steeringshaft when said locking means is in one of said plurality of positions,a switch controlling member movably displaceable with said lockingmeans, engine shut-down means movably displaceable to a position forshutting down said engine, cable means connected with said shut-downmeans to be movable therewith and extending in operative relationshipwith said switch controlling member, and slotted means defined in saidswitch controlling member for selectively engaging said cable means,said slotted means being configured to engage said cable means toprevent movement of said locking means to said one plurality ofpositions locking said steering shaft when said engine is operating,said switch controlling member being configured to engage said cablemeans to prevent movement of said shut-down means out of said positionfor shutting down said engine when said locking means is in said oneplurality of positions locking said steering shaft.
 2. A steering systemlock according to claim 1 wherein said locking means is rotatablymovable to said plurality of positions, said switch controlling memberbeing cylindrically shaped and rotatably movable with said lockingmeans, said slotted means being defined therein as an elongated slotformed on the circumferential periphery of said switch controllingmember, said cable means having a pair of ends, with one end connectedfor movement with said engine shut-down means and with the other endextending for operative engagement with said switch controlling member,said switch controlling member being configured to prevent said otherend to extend into said slot when said locking means is not in saidposition locking said steering shaft, and to prevent movement of saidother end into said slot when said locking means is in said positionlocking said steering shaft.
 3. A steering system lock according toclaim 2 wherein said engine shut-down means includes a member manuallydisplaceable between a position cutting off fuel flow to said dieselengine and a position permitting fuel flow thereto, said lock includinga link mechanism connecting said one end of said cable means with saidmanually displaceable member for corresponding movement therewith.
 4. Asteering system lock according to claim 1 wherein said locking meansincludes a shaft having a cam surface thereon and a spring biasing lockbar associated with said shaft and arranged to drop into lock engagementwith said steering shaft when said locking means is in said steeringshaft locking position.
 5. A steering system lock according to claim 2wherein said locking means includes a key cylinder assembly operablydisplaceable by means of a key, a cylinder, a shaft rotatably mountedwithin said cylinder for rotational displacement by said key, saidswitch controlling member being positioned within said cylinder and inengagement with said shaft for rotational displacement therewith.
 6. Asteering system lock according to claim 5 wherein the elongateddirection of said slot in said switch controlling member extendsnormally to the axis of said shaft.